Justin R. Nichols, Ph.D.
Justin Nichols is a hydrologist at the New Mexico Water Science Center. He received his Doctorate in Civil Engineering from the University of New Mexico with a focus on ecohydrology and machine learning.
After finishing high school, Justin joined the U.S. Army and served with the 173rd Airborne in Germany and Afghanistan. During his time overseas, he became interested in how natural systems work and how communities can use green infrastructure to protect water resources. After four years of service, he decided to follow that passion by studying civil engineering at the University of New Mexico.
As an undergraduate, Justin discovered ecohydrology—how water interacts and moves through ecosystems—and became involved in research in that field. He went on to earn a Ph.D. in civil engineering with a focus on ecohydrology. His research explored how changes in snowfall and wildfires affect water quality and aquatic ecosystems, and how machine learning tools can help scientists better understand nutrient movement in rivers and streams.
Professional Experience
2022 to Current, Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, New Mexico Water Science Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico
2018 to 2023, Research Assistant, Center of Water and the Environment, University of New Mexico
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Civil Engineering, University of New Mexico, 2023
M.S. Civil Engineering, University of New Mexico, 2020
B.S. Civil Engineering, University of New Mexico, 2018
Honors and Awards
2018 Pat Tillman Scholar
2017 ASCE New Mexico Outstanding Senior
Science and Products
Assessment of post-wildfire geomorphic change in the North Fork Eagle Creek stream channel, New Mexico, 2017–21 Assessment of post-wildfire geomorphic change in the North Fork Eagle Creek stream channel, New Mexico, 2017–21
The 2012 Little Bear Fire caused substantial vegetation loss in the Eagle Creek Basin of south-central New Mexico. This loss was expected to alter the localized hydrologic response to precipitation by creating conditions that amplify surface runoff, which might alter the geomorphology of North Fork Eagle Creek, a major tributary to Eagle Creek. To monitor short-term geomorphic change...
Authors
Justin R. Nichols, Shaleene B. Chavarria, Alexander P. Graziano
Non-USGS Publications**
Nichols, J., Joseph, E., Kaphle, A. et al. Longitudinal propagation of aquatic disturbances following the largest wildfire recorded in New Mexico, USA. Nat Commun 15, 7143 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-51306-9
Tunby, P., Nichols, J., Kaphle, A., Khandelwal, A. S., Van Horn, D. J., & González-Pinzón, R. (2023). Development of a general protocol for rapid response research on water quality disturbances and its application for monitoring the largest wildfire recorded in New Mexico, USA. Frontiers in Water, 5, 1223338. https://doi.org/10.3389/frwa.2023.1223338
Nichols, J., Khandelwal, A. S., Regier, P., Summers, B., Van Horn, D. J., & González-Pinzón, R. (2022). The understudied winter: Evidence of how precipitation differences affect stream metabolism in a headwater. Frontiers in Water, 4, 1003159. https://doi.org/10.3389/frwa.2022.1003159
Khandelwal, A., González‐Pinzón, R., Regier, P., Nichols, J., & Van Horn, D. J. (2020). Introducing the Self‐Cleaning FiLtrAtion for Water quaLity SenSors (SC‐FLAWLeSS) system. Limnology and Oceanography: Methods, 18(9), 467-476.
https://doi.org/10.1002/lom3.10377
https://doi.org/10.1002/lom3.10377
Regier, P., González-Pinzón, R, Van Horn, D., Reale, Nichols, J., Khandelwal, A. (2020), Water quality impacts of urban and non-urban arid-land runoff on the Rio Grande, Science of the Total Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138443
González‐Pinzón, R., Dorley, J., Regier, P., Fluke, J., Bicknell, K., Nichols, J., ... & Van Horn, D. J. (2019). Introducing “The Integrator”: A novel technique to monitor environmental flow systems. Limnology and Oceanography: Methods, 17(7), 415-427. https://doi.org/10.1002/lom3.10322
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Lagrangian water quality monitoring of the Animas River: Data release from a sonde-equipped raft sampling campaign that occurred on the Animas River between Trimble, CO to Farmington, NM in June, 2022 Lagrangian water quality monitoring of the Animas River: Data release from a sonde-equipped raft sampling campaign that occurred on the Animas River between Trimble, CO to Farmington, NM in June, 2022
The purpose of this data release is to provide water quality data that were collected during a raft sampling campaign near USGS streamgage 372728107475701 (Animas River at Bakers Bridge north of Durango, CO) to USGS streamgage 09364500 (Animas River at Farmington, NM) between the dates 06/06/2022 and 06/10/2022. Chemical and physical parameters were collected at 1-minute intervals with...
Data supporting the 2020 and 2021 geomorphic survey of North Fork Eagle Creek, New Mexico Data supporting the 2020 and 2021 geomorphic survey of North Fork Eagle Creek, New Mexico
This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data release contains results from the 2020 and 2021 geomorphic survey of North Fork Eagle Creek, New Mexico. Both geomorphic surveys were conducted by the USGS, in cooperation with the Village of Ruidoso, New Mexico, and are the last set of surveys in a planned series of five annual geomorphic surveys of the stream reach located between the North Fork...
Science and Products
Assessment of post-wildfire geomorphic change in the North Fork Eagle Creek stream channel, New Mexico, 2017–21 Assessment of post-wildfire geomorphic change in the North Fork Eagle Creek stream channel, New Mexico, 2017–21
The 2012 Little Bear Fire caused substantial vegetation loss in the Eagle Creek Basin of south-central New Mexico. This loss was expected to alter the localized hydrologic response to precipitation by creating conditions that amplify surface runoff, which might alter the geomorphology of North Fork Eagle Creek, a major tributary to Eagle Creek. To monitor short-term geomorphic change...
Authors
Justin R. Nichols, Shaleene B. Chavarria, Alexander P. Graziano
Non-USGS Publications**
Nichols, J., Joseph, E., Kaphle, A. et al. Longitudinal propagation of aquatic disturbances following the largest wildfire recorded in New Mexico, USA. Nat Commun 15, 7143 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-51306-9
Tunby, P., Nichols, J., Kaphle, A., Khandelwal, A. S., Van Horn, D. J., & González-Pinzón, R. (2023). Development of a general protocol for rapid response research on water quality disturbances and its application for monitoring the largest wildfire recorded in New Mexico, USA. Frontiers in Water, 5, 1223338. https://doi.org/10.3389/frwa.2023.1223338
Nichols, J., Khandelwal, A. S., Regier, P., Summers, B., Van Horn, D. J., & González-Pinzón, R. (2022). The understudied winter: Evidence of how precipitation differences affect stream metabolism in a headwater. Frontiers in Water, 4, 1003159. https://doi.org/10.3389/frwa.2022.1003159
Khandelwal, A., González‐Pinzón, R., Regier, P., Nichols, J., & Van Horn, D. J. (2020). Introducing the Self‐Cleaning FiLtrAtion for Water quaLity SenSors (SC‐FLAWLeSS) system. Limnology and Oceanography: Methods, 18(9), 467-476.
https://doi.org/10.1002/lom3.10377
https://doi.org/10.1002/lom3.10377
Regier, P., González-Pinzón, R, Van Horn, D., Reale, Nichols, J., Khandelwal, A. (2020), Water quality impacts of urban and non-urban arid-land runoff on the Rio Grande, Science of the Total Environment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138443
González‐Pinzón, R., Dorley, J., Regier, P., Fluke, J., Bicknell, K., Nichols, J., ... & Van Horn, D. J. (2019). Introducing “The Integrator”: A novel technique to monitor environmental flow systems. Limnology and Oceanography: Methods, 17(7), 415-427. https://doi.org/10.1002/lom3.10322
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Lagrangian water quality monitoring of the Animas River: Data release from a sonde-equipped raft sampling campaign that occurred on the Animas River between Trimble, CO to Farmington, NM in June, 2022 Lagrangian water quality monitoring of the Animas River: Data release from a sonde-equipped raft sampling campaign that occurred on the Animas River between Trimble, CO to Farmington, NM in June, 2022
The purpose of this data release is to provide water quality data that were collected during a raft sampling campaign near USGS streamgage 372728107475701 (Animas River at Bakers Bridge north of Durango, CO) to USGS streamgage 09364500 (Animas River at Farmington, NM) between the dates 06/06/2022 and 06/10/2022. Chemical and physical parameters were collected at 1-minute intervals with...
Data supporting the 2020 and 2021 geomorphic survey of North Fork Eagle Creek, New Mexico Data supporting the 2020 and 2021 geomorphic survey of North Fork Eagle Creek, New Mexico
This U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data release contains results from the 2020 and 2021 geomorphic survey of North Fork Eagle Creek, New Mexico. Both geomorphic surveys were conducted by the USGS, in cooperation with the Village of Ruidoso, New Mexico, and are the last set of surveys in a planned series of five annual geomorphic surveys of the stream reach located between the North Fork...